The purpose of this memo is to bring to your attention NASA's policies regarding e-mail records management. In order to comply with the Federal Records Act, NASA is legally obligated to preserve records that document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the agency.

To help you understand your responsibilities, records management training is being made available in the SATERN online training system.

There will be one mandatory training module available early next month for all civil servants and on-site NASA contractors, as well as a suite of optional records management modules, some of which are currently available, that will be useful for any civil servant or contractor who has extensive responsibilities in the records management area. The mandatory training module must be completed by July 30, 2008.

We are responsible for effectively and efficiently managing all our federal records, regardless of format or media (including paper, microform, electronic, and audiovisual), throughout their life cycle. E-mail messages that document the accomplishment of agency business are federal records that must be preserved. A recent NASA Inspector General audit has underscored the importance of improving agency-wide e-mail records management.

The NASA CIO is currently developing tools and a phased plan to ensure better e-mail records management across the agency. NASA expects to roll out this plan later this fiscal year. In the interim, the agency is taking the interim step of retaining all e-mail messages of selected senior managers (list of positions located at http://insidenasa.nasa.gov/ocio/information/info_recmgmt/index.html ). These selected managers have been notified by their local CIOs. Any e-mails sent to or from these managers will be saved.

Please consult your Center Records Manager for further guidance in fulfilling your records management responsibilities. If you have any questions or require additional information about the agency's record retention policies or requirements, please contact NASA Records Officer Patti Stockman at (202) 358-4787.